SHARE

E-mail letters, April 26, 2011

After visiting with people at the Mesa County Workforce Center, I continue to worry about the “real” unemployment rate in Mesa County.

While the 11 percent unemployment number reports on those still looking for work, it does not include the number of workers who have given up. When those numbers are added, the real unemployment rate approaches 19 percent to 20 percent.

It is such a shame that a county or area such as this, rich in natural resources, has such a high unemployment rate. With this in mind, it is refreshing to see our freshman legislator, Rep. Ray Scott, leading the charge on legislation to return technical expertise to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

With extractive industries at the heart of our local economy, having more technical experts participating in the decision making process is vitally important for our county and region. While the fate of Scott’s bill is uncertain, those of us still dealing with the state of our local economy appreciate his tenacity and leadership on this issue.
Ken Henry, Mayor
Fruita

State rules apparently
raised insurance rates

I received my new bill for my boat insurance from my insurance company. Last year my bill was $54.78. This year my bill is $100.

I called the insurance company to find out why the bill had doubled. The representative told me that the state of Colorado had set a minimum limit of $100 for all boats, motorcycles, ATV’s, recreational vehicles, and God knows what else.

I am curious: Would you call this extortion, bid rigging, a windfall profit to an
insurance company or Big Brother out of control?

I thought I had seen the height of government corruption with what is going on in Washington, as well as the road and bridge fees that were not voted on by the people of Colorado but were
imposed on vehicle owners in Colorado anyway, only because they were called fees not taxes.
R.J. Mixon
Palisade

Tipton was deceptive
about views on Medicare

In our country of laws there ought to be a way to prosecute our devious and deceptive recently elected U.S Rep. Scott Tipton.

He campaigned that our seniors should not be subjected to scare tactics, and that he would
not vote to do away with Medicare as we know it. Once elected, that is exactly what he did by voting for the Ryan tax reform bill.

He must think that we seniors are as greedy as our representatives. We can keep our Medicare at the expense of our 50-year-old children and our grand children, who will have to fend for themselves under the Ryan plan.

At the same time, Tipton will get to keep his current, taxpayer-provided health care and
for the rest of his life.

Is this what the American way has become, eliminate the middle class for the betterment of the elite? I think not.
Al Amirault
Fruita